| Author |
Message |
Peter Booth
| | Posted on Monday, August 16, 2004 - 10:40 pm: | |
I've read several posts about smoking T20's and I see that crank seals are the leading diagnosis.
I finally got around to getting a battery into my father's bike and VROOOOMMM!!!! it started right up! I was so excited that I thought I would pass out. Then I realized that the reason I was about to pass out was because the bike was smoking so badly I could barely breath. (And I was outside!) (slight exaggeration, but you get the idea)
So clearly, the diagnosis is going to be crank seals. My question however is ...
(1) How bad is it to ride the bike like this? The smoking is embarassing as you tool around town, but how bad is it for the bike itself?
(2) I've never been inside this bike before and the idea of tearing into it to replace the crank seals scares me. Is there any kind of book, manual, instruction guide, coloring book, anything that could guide me through this process?
Hoping that the smoke isn't bad for the bike so I can take it for a spin,
Peter Booth
Jericho, Vermont, USA |
Adrian
| | Posted on Monday, August 16, 2004 - 11:55 pm: | |
Hi Peter
It doesn't do any damage as such, but if it is excessive, you might get pulled by the police. However, you are burning gearbox oil so check it REGULARLY as if this runs out, you destroy your crank centre bearing.
Also, the LH seal will draw air in from behind the generator. This makes the LH side run weak - if it is too weak you will melt a piston. Check the plug colour at different engine speeds.
The T20 is easy to split, IF you know what you are doing with engines. I have manuals for sale if you need one. However, you'll need to find a good local crank builder nearby. The seals are almost impossible to get hold of, and the main bearings are obsolete! I can possibly get you both though if you do decide to split it all.
One correspondent from the US sent his crank to SEP in the UK as he couldn't find a local crank builder!
|
|
Advice, help, chat, whatever!